


come into bloom

by icemakestars



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23105095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icemakestars/pseuds/icemakestars
Summary: Anna has taken residence in England, fleeing a life she could never have and a love that haunts her in the most beautiful way. When she lacks all hope, things become impossibly optimistic.
Relationships: Irene Belserion/Anna Heartfilia
Kudos: 5
Collections: Fairy Tail LGBTales, Fairy Tail Rarepairs





	come into bloom

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aqua_Tranquility](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aqua_Tranquility/gifts).



> another reque$t for my beautiful friend aqua! thank you so much i would honestly die for you

The warm sunlight was pleasant that morning, and made a welcome change from the chilly English gloom that Anna had become accustomed to. Adjusting to European life was not as difficult as she had expected, not when the technological advancements of the eighteenth century were spreading far outside of the states. The biggest change was how people spoke, but to them Anna was still new and exotic. Her accent felt like a party trick now, always pleasing the relatives she didn’t know well at all. But she was grateful that they had taken her in, and that was enough of a reason for her to bite her tongue. 

“The dahlias are blooming nicely.” Her aunt, Winnifred, spoke, slow and quiet, as though she was concerned someone could hear and would think her improper for having an opinion. Old blood was like that, Anna knew from experience. It was what had killed her mother, in the end; the need to be respected. On some days Anna missed her mother, but not on that morning. She stood with a smile, glad to be rid of the wide, stuffy corsets from ten years ago. Now Anna could plan her movements and feel her breath in her chest, and it was wonderful. 

“I can only hope that I have the same success with the pansies and petunias.”

She wiped dirt from her silk gloves and pretended not to notice when her aunt grimaced. 

“I wish you would let the groundskeep do this work.” 

Anna sighed. 

“But then where would the satisfaction lie for me, auntie?”

Aunt Winny was the matriarch of the smallest branch from the Heartfilias. Her husband had died and with only one estranged son, it had been Winny who had inherited the wealth. Anna had not requested to live with her for that reason, of course; even with the combined value of both her and her husband, Winnifred’s money was a mere drop in the ocean compared to what Anna’s parents had in their accounts. Despite that, Anna was happier here than she had been with what was supposedly her family. There were things she missed of course, such as the chirp of cicadas as she went to sleep, the warm browns of the sand shifting under her feet, and the vibrancy of California poppies set ablaze against the blues and greens of the coast. But England was slowly becoming her home, even if the colours of this world felt dull somehow; lacking. 

“It’s not proper.” 

“Propriety does not factor into the equation if something sparks joy, auntie.” 

Aunt Winny shook her head, muttering.

“Strange girl.” She hobbled away, still feeling the affects of her infantile paralysis. Winnifred never argued with Anna, mostly left her alone to do as she pleased, and that might be the thing that Anna was the most grateful for. It was something that her father could not manage, and that had deteriorated what was left of their relationship until Anna was forced to flee to another continent. 

She settled onto the woven cloth placed on the grass next to her, slipped the glove from her hand and let the cool grass scratch her skin. Gardening kept her in control, a luxury which Anna had never been allowed growing up. The plants needed her to thrive, and that gave her purpose outside of being a tool to the older generations of Heartfilias. 

Anna closed her eyes, let the breeze ruffle her pinned curls into something less organised, and if she concentrated hard it was easy to be back in America, where she had grown up, endured a life of isolation and misery until finally she had fallen in love. Anna felt the tears prickle her lashes, but she would not allow them to fall. This was supposed to be a fresh start, away from the pain of her life before. Dwelling on it would not help anyone, least of all herself. 

The truth was that, besides the father who never loved her and the society which did not understand her, Anna only truly missed one person. With every breath she took, Anna’s lungs tightened with grief. She mourned the loss of her one true love, and she mourned her own bravery, and how it had failed her. How she hadn’t even tried to make it work. Life was not as simple as that though, a fact which Anna had barely come to terms with herself. She was the only child of the esteemed Heartfilia family and her lover, no matter how innocent, was a handmaid. A woman. Even if for a moment Anna had fooled herself into thinking that they would be able to be together, that dream shattered once her father had found out. It was safer here, in England, away from the only thing that her heart had ever truly desired. For herself and for the woman she loved. 

“Lady Anna.” The youngest housemaid approached cautiously, still new to the job position and afraid to speak out of turn. Anna faced her with what she hoped was a friendly smile, and the girl bowed her head. “There is a guest in the drawing room requesting your presence. Should I show them through to the gardens or will you be taking tea inside?” 

Anna frowned. She had no friends to speak of outside of family yet, and they were well known enough by the members of staff to forego any true formalities. There was no one else it could be. She rose, sliding the gloves back on, preparing for whoever wished to speak with her. 

“Show them through please, Hetty.” 

The young girl nodded, scurrying back inside to retrieve the guest. As she waited, Anna thumbed the flowers on the hydrangea bush, pleased with how the blue tones were developing in their new soil. She heard the courtyard door open, but before she could greet her guest a voice reached her, beautiful and familiar and entirely impossible. 

“Lady Anna, it’s been far too long.” 

She spun on her heel as quick as her dress would allow, blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders. Hetty had her head bowed once more, hands folded across her lap stomach. Behind her stood the woman that Anna had ran so far to protect, the person she loved most in the world. 

“Irene…”

The woman was wearing an emerald dress and her finest pair of shoes, and Anna wondered idly how she had afforded such a luxurious item of clothing, her mind too overwhelmed to focus on what truly mattered; Irene was here, in England. Once again, they were together. Irene pulled her bonnet from her head and held it in her hand, still offering formality despite how incredible the situation was. She bowed slightly, and when her body was erect their eyes met finally. Gaze still transfixed on Irene’s face, Anna spoke softly, as though inside a dream. 

“Leave us, Hetty.” 

The maid excused herself, and before the door had shut behind her Anna had a fistful of fabric in both hands, running towards Irene with as much grace as her dress would allow. Their bodies slammed together moments later, the touch and sound and smell of Irene being almost too much for Anna to handle. She was crying before she realised, clinging to Irene with a desperation that the other woman reciprocated. 

“How are you here?” Anna whispered into the crook of Irene’s neck, concerned that if she spoke too loud then the illusion would shatter, her heart along with it. 

“I was not strong enough to lose you, my lady.” Irene ran her hands down Anna’s back, fingertips offering a featherlight touch which left Anna wanting more. 

“I’ve missed you.” Anna hadn’t realised how much until she had Irene with her again. It struck her then that it wasn’t the orange flame of California poppies or the sandy planes of home that she missed, but the fiery tone of Irene’s hair, and the warm brown expanse of her eyes. Even in another country, with Irene there Anna felt at home, and her heart knew peace that it had been denied since she had boarded the boat across the Atlantic. 

“I’ve missed you too.”

Anna pulled away to look into Irene’s face. Her skin was paler than Anna remembered, freckles more prominent across the bridge of her nose, and her lips had a subtle rouge, detectable only because Anna was so intimately familiar with their normal hue. Still, she wanted to kiss them more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. Even without any family or staff present, that was a risk that Anna was not willing to take. Instead, she cleared her throat and headed back towards the house, knowing that Irene would follow. 

Hetty was dusting in the drawing room when Anna entered. Aunt Winny was reading one of the sensational novels she pretended to loathe at dinner parties, and raised her brow at the two women who were now stood in the doorway. 

“We will take tea in my chambers. Once you bring it to us we do not wish to be disturbed.” 

“As you wish, Lady Anna.” 

Anna felt her auntie’s eyes on her back as she headed towards the staircase with Irene in tow, but her heart was racing too fast, blood rushing to her head and ringing in her ears. Nothing else mattered except the woman following politely behind her, and when the door clicked shut behind them, Anna realised that even if she had been content in England, she had not felt any true joy, because her happiness was here on these lips; in these arms. 

* * *

Irene had her head in Anna’s lap, looking up into Anna’s face, and the blonde threaded her fingers through the now loose scarlet curls. Her spare hand was entwined with Irene’s, and Anna brought them to her lips, placing a kiss on every knuckle. 

“I can’t believe you’re here.” 

“Neither can I.” 

Irene sat up on her haunches and pressed their lips together. It was a sensation that Anna had missed with every fibre of her body, and when Irene pulled away there was already a smile where her lips had been moments ago.

“How long can you stay?”

A silence fell between them, and Irene shifted, the layers of woven blankets going with her. When her eyes met Anna’s, large and brown and beautiful, they were almost guarded; sheepish. Her gaze fell onto her hands, which she was wringing out anxiously. 

“I’m not going back.” 

“Pardon?” Anna blinked, and Irene reached forward to cup her face, her desperation almost tangible. 

“Without you there, my life had lost all meaning. I got a less than honorable job because that was all I could do, and then as soon as I could afford it I came to find you.” Her thumb traced a pattern across Anna’s cheek who sat, utterly dumbfounded. “If you don’t want me I understand.” Irene’s voice cracked. “I ruined your life. But I am going to go in search for work and build a life here for myself. For us. If you’ll have me.”

Anna did not hesitate. 

“You were not responsible for anything bad that befell me at home, Irene. All you gave me was a joy that my heart could hardly contain. There is not a version of myself that could ever reject you, my love.” 

Irene was crying, head buried in Anna’s chest. As Irene wept, Anna looked at the assortment of vases filled with flowers, seeking the one which she was especially proud of. 

“I grew these for you.” She handed the flower to a still sniffling Irene, face as red as the the curls which fell across her neck after so much crying. The other woman thumbed the flower in awe, jaw going slack. Anna had managed to grow perfect cerulean tulips, cultivated them until they were Irene’s favourite colour. 

“How did you know that you would see me again?” 

Anna cupped Irene’s face with a shaking hand. 

“In a garden full of beautiful flowers, Irene, I saw you every single day.” 

Irene’s eyes watered once more, and she leapt forward to crash Anna’s lips back on hers. With the flower placed delicately on the pillow at the end of the bed, they held each other until it began to feel real that they were together again. 

There was no way to determine how much time passed, but Anna was ready to sleep, exhausted after such an emotional day. She was about to suggest turning in for the night when a knock came on her chamber door.

“Lady Anna? Lady Winnifred has requested the presence of you and your guest in her private quarters.” Hetty’s voice was muffled, but still startled the two women, and Anna felt her stomach fall. The only time that her auntie ever saw people in her private rooms were when she was in a foul mood, or found the subject matter unsavoury. It was possible that she had worked out the true nature of their relationship, or that her father may have sent a warning. 

“We will be there shortly, thank you Hetty.”

They dressed in silence, ensured that their casual clothes were unruffled and in the correct positions on their bodies before offering a silent glance of reassurance. Whatever happened, they would get through this. They had to. Irene pinned the tulip to her jacket, a symbol of loyalty and love and hearts which never forgot. Together, they prepared to face the next obstacle in their path. 

Irene followed Anna’s lead down a long, dimly-lit hallway, decorated with oil paintings and brightly coloured crockery. Although Anna hardly gave them a second glance, she knew that Irene would be marvelling at their beauty and she thought about how adorable the other woman was. That made her feel worse, somehow. 

She knocked gently on the door which would lead to her auntie, and Winnifred spoke clearly, without restraint.

“Enter.” 

There was no going back now. Anna gave Irene’s hand a quick squeeze before opening the door and pushing inside. 

Winnifred was sat in her reading chair, books stacked on the table next to her, glasses balanced precariously on the tip of her nose. When the two women came to stand in front of her, Winny folded the glasses and placed them on the side, picking up the teacup behind the tower of books. She looked between the two women and sighed. 

“If I am to understand correctly, you two are more intimate than just acquaintances from America. Is that the case?”

Anna spared a glanced at Irene. She looked terrified, unable to offer a suitable explanation which would allow them to stay together. But Anna did not see any point in lying. They always got exposed in the end, and that hurt more than telling the truth from the beginning. She cleared her throat and met Winny’s steady gaze, more defensive than defiant. 

“We are companions, yes.” 

Winnifred nodded slowly, settling her ornate china teacup back onto the matching saucer. 

“I see.” She paused, eyes travelling between the two women, a judge about to cast her verdict. “And how serious is this…  _ relationship _ between the two of you?” 

“If I could wear Irene’s ring and take her last name, I would do so in a heartbeat.” 

Both her auntie and her lover seemed taken aback by the unabashed authority in her statement, but Anna had never felt more confident about anything in her life. Even if she was rejected and thrown out onto the street without a single grace to her name, Anna knew that she would be okay because now Irene was with her. 

“Am I also to assume that this is why you sought refuge in my home, Anna?” 

The confidence dissipated here, at the thought of her family in America. Anna bit her lip, brow pulled down into a worrisome line. 

“My father was… less than accepting of us.” That was an understatement of course; Anna had fled to another country to keep Irene and herself safe from his rage, and now she faced losing the woman she loved for a second time. She did not know if her heart would be able to withstand that. 

“Understandably so.” 

Anna winced. She could see how heavy Irene was breathing out of the corner of her eye, but it hurt too much to look directly at her. History was repeating, and they were helpless to stop it. Her aunt stood, hands clasped across her chest, formal and unwelcoming. All Anna could do was look to the ceiling and fight back the tears which were sure to come. 

“I only have one choice then.” Winnifred muttered, shuffling over until she stood directly in front of Irene. “From now on, you will be permitted to live in this house with us, but under certain conditions.” 

At that, Anna’s head snapped up. She was still trying to process what this could mean when Irene yelped.

“Anything!” 

“You will say that you are my niece, and if people inquire further then you two are siblings. You must also live on the same allowance as Anna; I will increase the amount in the future if I see fit.” She took one large, shaky breath. “And you will maintain certain levels of propriety in my household. I will allow you to share a chamber, but during the day I expect respectful ignorance around the staff and myself.” 

Anna could not fight the tears any longer. They fell, hot and heavy and full of relief. There was only one more issue to overcome, and it rested heavily on Anna’s heart. 

“But my father-”

“You’re my daughter now.” Winnifred snapped. “Edgar be damned. I have lost one child already. I shan’t lose another.” 

Formalities forgotten, Anna surged forward and took her auntie into her arms, sobbing, gargling incoherently around all the words she wanted to say in that moment. Winny held her close for a moment, but then she pushed at Anna’s shoulders and cleared her throat. 

“Please child, it isn’t proper for a young woman to be so hysterical.” 

“My apologies.” Anna tried to steady her breathing, but her smile was so wide it was all her body could focus on, a happiness so strong it threatened to cripple her. 

“I won’t ever be able to show you the gratitude I feel in my heart.” Irene began, taking Winnifred’s hand in her own. “But I can assure you that I will try, every hour of every day.” 

Her auntie’s gaze softened. 

“There is no need for that, child.” She offered a small smile before pulling her hand away and clapping. “Go and unpack your belongings in the guest chambers. We will move you both tomorrow. Once you have finished we will take tea in the drawing room. I think it only appropriate that I should know more about my wards.” 

Anna bowed her head in retreat, taking Irene’s arm and leading her back down the corridor, to the guest suite. They had been drowning, and Winnifred had thrown a lifeline, offered shelter from the cold when no one else would. This was their chance to be together finally, something which Anna dared not even dream to be possible. But she saw it then, the possibilities which were now coming into light; doors, once locked, were swinging open, unhinged, never to be closed again. The weight of Irene’s arm in hers in a house that had accepted every part of her. It was surreal for Anna, but as they entered the rooms which lead to their new life, Anna felt the tightness in her chest dissipate, the pain being replaced with hope, and for once she looked forward to sleep, because now she would awaken to a world where love was allowed, and everything made sense. 


End file.
